Brighouse charity facing major funding crisis

Ian Hirst

A Brighouse-based charity, which helps people with a variety of issues, is facing a major funding challenge, according to the chairman of its trustees.

Alan Hoggard, told the annual meeting of the counselling service, Turning Point, that “as always” in the voluntary sector funding was an issue and that they were now facing a major challenge.

“It is disappointing that the value for money service that organisations like Turning Point are offering are all too often overlooked in favour of high cost projects on the whim of a politician or NHS manager,” he said.

He explained that the 12 months to March saw some of the most significant changes in the organisations 15 year history and that three years of funding from Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group was funding the employment of staff.

This had enabled them to put in place a robust system which in turn supported more counsellors to see more clients.

But, said Alan, they had been told that the Commissioning Group funding would not be reviewed at the end of three years.

“This leaves us with a challenge to find funding of £25,000 a year in order just to stand still,” he said.

Alan continued: “But we are extremely grateful for all the voluntary contributions from individuals and churches which are a vital source of income and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to all our volunteers, counsellors, receptionists and trustees who all provide a vital role in the success of the organisation.”

Earlier he had explained that over the last year the charity had seen an expansion of the service, and said the current 16 counsellors were all volunteers. He pointed out that in the year to March, an average of 40 people had accessed the service each week with a variety of issues relating to depression, bereavement, family matters and relationship issues.

He also thanked Michael Cahill who undertook a 12 hour squash marathon at the Queen’s Sports Club, Halifax, and raised £800 for the work of Turning Point.